Crime in Charlotte

[monsoon]

I had heard from people this was riffraff from Charlotte that was being chased up I-77 by the police and the criminals decided to pull off the interstate to have their last stand at Exit 23. Fortunately the police shot one dead and the other was sent to the hospital after being wounded by the police. It doesn't appear to be anything related to Huntersville but the residents in Rosedale interviewed by the TV expressed shock as they were saying this is something you hear about in CLT, but not here. I think this was the first shooting in Huntersville in several years.

My neighbor and I could see the police helicopters in the distance and the roads were strangely silent as they shut down Giliead heading west towards the lake.

[49er]

Huntersville and other surrounding cities definitely are not immune. As they grow and mature as cities, crime will increase. Its not just charlottes problem anymore. Its unfortunate too, because people in the surrounding burbs indeed do think they are above such violence...and that such things only happen in big bad charlotte.

[peaceloveunderstanding]

Huntersville and other surrounding cities definitely are not immune. As they grow and mature as cities, crime will increase. Its not just charlottes problem anymore. Its unfortunate too, because people in the surrounding burbs indeed do think they are above such violence...and that such things only happen in big bad charlotte.

I disagree. Look to any big city: Washington DC, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta. The wealthy suburbs are MUCH safer than the cities.

Based on Huntersville's patterns of growth: few starter homes, mostly migrants from the North instead of immigrants, we are not going to see much riffraff and negative change up there. The same is true with the South Side suburbs as well.

[monsoon]

In a sad commentary on crime in the Center City, someone has stolen part of the Dead Sea's Scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place. They also damaged part of the display.

[Neo]

In a sad commentary on crime in the Center City, someone has stolen part of the Dead Sea's Scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place. They also damaged part of the display.

Where did you see that?

[monsoon]

Where did you see that?

It was on Channel 9 at noon.

[voyager12]

I don't think Charlotte has a crime epidemic but its definitely a growing concern and affects everyone throughout the metro to varying degrees. I live in Dilworth and expected some crime when I moved here a year ago from downtown Charleston. Maybe I am jaded after my apt there was broken into at night. I slept through the whole thing and in the morning half of my apt was gone. Thats what happens in city neighborhoods. I think many people look at Dilworth and Myers Park and the older streetcar suburbs and think because its a pretty and affluent area, crime never happens and you can just stick your head in the sand. Aside from the serial rapist we often have car breakins,thefts, and tool shed vandalism. Its not every day but it should be enough to make people more self aware of their surroundings. As far as store security goes, there is a guard posted at the Dilworth Teeter on East everyday so that type of protection is not just limited to the Eastside.

[dubone]

No place is immune to crime.

Flight to the suburbs to avoid crime doesn't help, and is a major contributor to why crime is as bad as it is in the US compared to other countries. Instead, it leaves the inner city as a concentrated place where poverty, unemployment, drugs, gangs, and crime run rampant. Once established as a culture in the inner city, it easily spreads to suburbs, because contrary to popular belief, criminals know how to drive to the suburbs.

Part of why we chose to move to a mixed income neighborhood downtown is because we truly believe that by making a stand it helps to break the cycle. People can fight back by calling the police for suspicious behavior, instituting neighborhood watch programs, and making the neighborhood more attractive to decrease the perception of crime. Mixed income neighborhoods help set positive examples for the children growing up nearby by eliminating the ghetto effect, where children feel they have no options but to fall into a life of gangs, drugs, and crime. By spending money in the neighborhood, it helps to create jobs for people and improved economic conditions for everyone nearby. By stabilizing demographic numbers, such as median income and property tax proceeds, government and private entities will be more likely to invest in those neighborhoods, to further combat the downward spiral.

Once kids join gangs and resign themselves to die before 30, it's pretty much over for that kid. That happens constantly in this city and many others. I'd like to know how many people complaining about crime are out there volunteering or donating for Big Brother/Big Sister or Boys and Girls Clubs or inner city Ys to help win the battle with those kids.

It is a cultural phenomenon, and the battle cannot be won with jails and hiding in the burbs, as the problems eventually spill over anyway and affect everyone.

[graydog]

^ So right dubone. Kids aspire to what they see around them. If it's drug dealing, then they will deal. If they see a mix of people, they can see a way out. Speaking of volunteering, the First Ward Rec Center could use a few people to supervise the computer room for the kids. They have a few dozen PCs that go unused most of the time due to a lack of adult supervision. I go on Monday afternoons and that's about the only time the kids have.

[DigitalSky]

In a sad commentary on crime in the Center City, someone has stolen part of the Dead Sea's Scrolls exhibit at Discovery Place. They also damaged part of the display.

That is so horrible!

No place is immune to crime.

so true.

[dubone]

For those who aren't familiar with Liquid Lounge, I thought I'd take a crappy pic of what it looks like while driving by.

Doesn't look shady at all .

[krazeeboi]

That's right across from the Marriott and Independence Center on Trade, right?

[DigitalSky]

It does look shady.

[monsoon]

That's right across from the Marriott and Independence Center on Trade, right?

Yes that is right at the square.

[monsoon]

Huntersville is apparently not immune to violent crime, either. Two shot and one dead at Rosedale Shopping Center (exit 23) right on Huntersville's main street, Giliad Road. http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/13776271.htm

Apparently this incident was a suicide by cop incident. Suicide by cop is just as it sounds, you go out and shoot at the cops and they kill you. Huntersville was where they decided to pull off the road to perform this last act.

[Miesian Corners]

Dead sea scrolls were not damaged or stolen. Some idiot stole a replica of one of the clay jars the scrolls were originally found in.

[dubone]

Yeah, I think the Discovery Place thing was akin to someone stealing porch decor. It's not really worth being reported on. Employees of Discovery Place have probably stolen more worth of staplers and paper than the value of this pot that could probably be gotten at garden ridge for 20 bucks.

[monsoon]

Relative to killings, shootings and other violent crime I would tend to agree with you. However I don't think there really is any excuse to damage and steal someone else's property no matter how small it might be. And it is particularly disappointing that it was for an exhibit at a museum which is there for all people. I am sure that I am old fashioned, but I don't even steal pens and paper from my employer.

[magnolia839]

Liquid Lounge is not Shady. I think you can find odder people at Bar of Charlotte. I definately would not step foot in there.

[cinco]

Apparently this incident was a suicide by cop incident. Suicide by cop is just as it sounds, you go out and shoot at the cops and they kill you. Huntersville was where they decided to pull off the road to perform this last act.

the thing that has always baffled me about these types of situations... is the marksmenship of the officers. i guess i just grew up on TV cops that knew how to shoot a knife from someones hand. seriously though, maybe @ target practice, police should have a target of the whole person, not just the head and chest. also, does it have to take so many officers unloading their weapons? in this case some innocent person @ blockbuster almost got shot.

[dubone]

Relative to killings, shootings and other violent crime I would tend to agree with you. However I don't think there really is any excuse to damage and steal someone else's property no matter how small it might be. And it is particularly disappointing that it was for an exhibit at a museum which is there for all people. I am sure that I am old fashioned, but I don't even steal pens and paper from my employer.

I'm not condoning vandalism and theft, and they are terrible, no matter how much the value. I'm just saying that it isn't really newsworthy when the value is so low.

The news doesn't report on stolen cars, and they are worth a heck of a lot more than a plaster pot.

[dubone]

I'm glad no one was hurt, but I hope they throw the book at the clowns that fired shots uptown yesterday.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/news/13886965.htm

I don't really agree with the Observer's use of "near Bobcat's Arena" to describe the area, as it is a quarter mile away. They could have more accurately said "near Wachovia's headquarters".

I'm sure some people who were at the arena will feel a "near death experience" when reading about the incident, and will probably think twice about going to another game uptown.

[MZT]

A neighbor on my street just had his second break-in within one year. Even with a barking dog in the house... Thieves are really getting audacious. I can certainly understand why some people give up on the city (any city with crime) and decide to live on the fringes.

I have to wonder too if that's part of the appeal of uptown condominiums. When you're several floors up, you feel more secure than being on the ground. You could leave your windows open on nice nights... instead of considering putting burglar bars over them...

[f0xym0p]

An officer was shot this morning in the University area as he tried to serve a rape warrant and they have Harris Blvd completely blocked between Mallard Creek and Sugar Creek Roads as well as helicopters flying around. According to the Observer, the man will not come out of his house and the officer has been taken to CMC for surgery.

http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/new...ws/14269991.htm

[redjeep77]

That's terrible. I hate to hear this kind of thing happening. Especially by some low life rapist coward. Well, by shooting the cop (and assuming the cop dies), the rapist just gave himself the death penalty. Fry his A$$!